The Art Heartt

Art is a universal language that transcends time and location. Stylistic qualities of art often preserve the era and region of which the art is born. Art is also a cultural language. It can evoke emotion and communicate a visual understanding of the art or artist's cultural background. Culture encompasses a society's customs and traditions, viewpoints, geographical region, written language, etc. The experience of being able to connect with a painting and its cultural background, and doing so without the interpretation of written language, is a tremendously powerful ability. Art can be interpreted to mean something completely unique for each person who sees it, or share a universal idea. Color combinations, the use of texture, shapes, balance or harmony are example indicators that can associate art to culture. This proves just how powerful and effective visual form is at conveying meaning.

I do a lot of writing, sketching, and organizing things and events that go on in my life. With a different journal set apart for each of my diverse topics – day planner, dream log, bucket list, art and design, calligraphy – I realized I wasted so much time trying to keep up with all of them. This led me to do some research on how I could improve my journaling process. Many Pinterest pins, blog posts and YouTube videos later, I stumbled on a system that would surely simplify my journaling process for good. It is called a bullet journal, known as ‘bujo’ for short. It is an easily customizable method that allows for daily entries on whatever inspires you. This means I could encompass all my tasks, thoughts and ideas into one place. Even better, behind all of it, I discovered a wonderful community of bullet journalists that really helped me transition to the one-book system.

Pinterest is one of my favorite platforms to categorize the interests in my life. Beyond the discovery of beautiful imagery, it also makes access to reading content on the web a breeze. On this platform, there are a lot of people who share images of different and unique styles in their bullet journals. So when I started looking into templates that I could incorporate into my own bullet journal, I also discovered different materials that other bullet journalists use and recommend. Used to my Moleskine journals, I was satisfied and had never thought of looking into any other options. But after reading about others’ experiences in the bullet journal community, I started to compare and contrast my options. I ended up deciding to give the Leuchtturm1917 journal a try, a popular and favored choice among other bullet journalists, which I purchased on Amazon. Against the Moleskine, the Leuchtturm1917 had distinct features like an index for logging, numbered pages, bookmarks and a set of stickers for labeling and archiving. The day I started using it, it became an instant favorite for its practicality and quality.

In this research process, not only did I find a new journal to love, I also ordered some new brush pens to experiment with, the Tombow Fudenosuke soft and hard tip set. I admire calligraphy art, but by no means am an experienced calligrapher, so I love to practice and work on my skills. This pen brand was highly recommended by multiple bullet journalists as a great beginner option, and has been a great addition to my Pigma Micron pens and Pilot Varsity fountain pens.

In studio yesterday, I was in the process of making the color gray. While mixing paint colors – blue, burnt sienna, yellow, white, more blue, and so on – it has never been so clear the beauty of the color gray. The world sees it as dull and depressing, yet within it are multitudes of wonder and folds of joy. Compared to the colors in this world, gray is not, and will never be, silent, boring or dull… gray areas are most certainly filled with a life of colors.

Here is a simple and quick smoothie recipe to revitalize your mind so you can get into gear for summer classes!

Ingredients:

½ cup frozen mixed berries

6-10 Baby Carrots

1 cup chard/spinach, kale mix (if you cannot find this blend at the store, you can use your favorite dark leafy green)

½ apple

Cucumber (to your liking… I used about 10 slices)

Water

 Cut your portion of cucumber and the apple into slices. Then, to create a vegetable base, place your leafy greens, carrots and cucumber into the blender cup. Add enough water to cover 1/3 of the vegetables. Blend until smooth. Add apples and berry to the mix. Blend until smooth.

It’s as simple as that.

When my afternoon film analysis class concluded yesterday, I walked to the bus stop to go home for lunch like I usually do. I was almost there when I stopped at a picnic table to retrieve my canteen out of my bag. Tilting my head upward to sip some water, the oak tree that shielded me from the sun inspired me to do something different today. Realizing that this routine was pulling my away from the adventure I was yearning for, I changed my course, not looking for anything in particular.

As I walked aimlessly, I just took in my surroundings. The sun was high in the sky, the wind carried a spring breeze, and I could feel my feet kissing the earth beneath my scandals.

My path coincided with the School of Architecture, and I decided to explore the massive concrete structure.

Repetition and the balance of geometric structures define the aesthetic composition of the school’s architecture.

In a passageway, I stumbled upon this piece of contour art drawn onto a cylindrical structure.

I found the contrast in this image especially intriguing. The message board is punctured with staples that hold paper fragments of past events, and the current posters throw the eye into the chaos.

For the record, other message boards on campus are often so full that the newest posters are stapled onto 5-inch-high stacks of even more posters! I have seen these incredibly large stacks start to peel away from the message boards, creating a wave-like form of events, ready to fall at any given moment. Quite scary, really. So it is an odd relief to see a board so “barren” in comparison.

In the windows of architecture students’ studios were all sorts of neat gadgets, models, and materials.

Peering into a window full of trinkets and other miniature objects, I began to take pictures of them. Tiny things are my favorite, so I must have exuded pure excitement upon finding them, unaware that the owner of these tiny things was sitting in the background watching me obsess over his collection. Only when he shifted in his chair did I realize him smiling at me. Awkward. So I smiled and waved back.  By ‘smiled,’ I really mean ‘laughed,’ and attempted to express an, "OMG I didn't see you dude!" look; it was my way of ‘de-awkwardizing’ a rather awkward situation. I doubt worked though… In his mind, I am probably still ‘that weirdo’ who waved at him, then continued taking photos. Meh…

A sculpture composed of wood and hardware sits on the top floor pavilion.

Looking above me were ceilings made of netting and industrial-size zipper openings. 

A studio door reads: “Door may not lock. Push Until it clicks.”

Christmas lights were wrapped on the top floors rails, creating a geometric triangular pattern. As a lover of details, I find the rusting and chipping on the railings to be my favorite part of this photo.

The Florida Seafood Festival features fresh seafood vendors, amusement rides, art exhibits and musical entertainment over the span of this two-day event. The festival occurs annually at Battery Park in the historic town of Apalachicola, and falls on the first weekend in November.

The event opened on Oct. 31 at 10 a.m., with no admission fee, on the Apalachicola River with live music, and the ceremonial “Blessing of the Fleet” at 4 p.m. At the ceremony, the audience could experience the arrival of King and Miss Florida Seafood. The park remained open until 10:30 p.m. on Friday, and featured activities that the whole family could enjoy.

On Nov. 1, the festivities continued at 8 a.m. with the Redfish Run, a 5K run through Apalachicola. The park reopened at 10 a.m., and the admission fees were $5 for adults, and kids under 12 were free of charge. Events, such as Blue Crab races and an oyster chucking contest, took place throughout the day. Entertainer Craig Campbell made an appearance on Saturday night.

The Florida Seafood Festival was organized by event President John Solomon and 11 other volunteers this year.

A vendor's artistically displayed platter of shellfish is surrounded by corn on the cob.

Various amusement rides catch a reflection over a dock to the Apalachicola River at night.

One of the many amusements, the Haunted Mansion, displayed a theme worthy of being on Halloween night.

On Friday night, singer Jamie Grace, 22, performed hits from her album Ready to Fly including popular song "Beautiful Day." She was very engaged in her audience, and at one point even picked several audience members' phones to take "selfies" while performing. 

Tony, of North Carolina, was working a game booth and could not resist a chance to get his photo taken.

When I want to get into the creative mind-set, I rely heavily on external factors, and sometimes use auditory senses by listening to music and background sounds. Whether I listen to instrumental or vocal music depends on which stage of the conceptual process I am in.

For example, if I already know what I want to create, I tend to listen to instrumental music. Soundscapes and ambient music are the least intrusive to my artistic process. This way, words will not drown out my thoughts and original concepts for a piece.

Photo by Ayanna George

On the other hand, if I am uncertain of my concept, or want to further solidify the concept of a piece, I expose my mind to vocal music as a way to generate ideas. Hearing and pulling lyrics from various songs while working can contribute to strengthening my overall concept.

I generally listen to an internet radio, such as Spotify and Amazon Music, to get inspired. This allows for a good blend of music I know, and music I am unfamiliar with. Here some songs from my typical playlist:

Imogen Heap - Tidal

The Postal Service - Such Great Heights

Eddie Vedder - Rise

City and Colour - Casey's Song

Reptar - Phonetics

If you are interested in finding a music streaming site that fits your needs, read more about them here.

Once you've got an amazing source of inspiration, your next step might be preceded by a creative block. Every artist experiences a moment in time where a really good source (or sources) of inspiration may not immediately lead to any creative ideas. It's okay, though..."art farts," as I call them, can be broken!

First, let's evaluate.

Is your inspirative source something physical? If so, try rotating the object or yourself to experience new perspectives. 

Photo Permission by Emanuele Cerroni via morguefile.com (Free Under Morguefile License)

If your inspiration comes from a photograph or something that is not something physical, try gathering more ideas. The more sources you have, the more you can work from. Keep in mind, when gathering more than one source for an idea, organization will help facilitate your thoughts.

Creating a mood board for inspiration is a good way to organize your ideas. A mood board is basically a collection of inspiration in one place, which makes for a more cohesive theme for your ideas.

Click here for some tips on how to create a mood board, including an example of Unicef's board, which contrasts its concept and final work of art. 

Mood boards do not have to be as structurally organized as Unicef's. Check out this example of an free-form mood board.

Photo by Kim Smith via flickr.com

Sometimes, the best thing you could do to start creating is to try to take your mind off of things for a while. Play a game, take a walk, or do whatever it takes for you to relax. When your brain has a chance to settle down, you just might come up with a great idea!

There is no definitive way to approach an artistic setback, but hopefully these tips get you going in the right direction.

As an artist, I never quite know when I'm done with a piece. What happens is what I call "the surrender," which is the point where I believe I cannot add or subtract anything else.

Inspiration lurks everywhere. On campus, I find myself experiencing endless ideas, which flow out of the charming buildings, nature and the people I meet.

Photo Compilation by Ayanna George

The struggle is to record inspiration when it comes to you.

Carrying a sketchbook can be very beneficial for an artist to have on a day-to-day basis. When I find things that inspire me, I usually take a picture of it, then emulate the idea that it has led me to. The most important thing is to get it out of your head and onto paper as soon as possible.

Photo by Ayanna George

In general, having a sketchbook will help you keep a collection of all your preliminary ideas. Sometimes I practice by forming a kneaded eraser into random shapes then drawing them. 

Photo by Ayanna George

Artistic mediums, such as watercolor, ink and charcoal, stimulate my brain in a unique way. Each one presents a new challenge, and figuring out how aspects of a piece work together is usually like the element of surprise.

To elaborate further, even though I may have a particular outcome in mind, I am more often surprised that the result of the piece is far different than imagined. Some artists may see an incongruent outcome as a flaw, but for me, the dissonance often leads to delight in the work I produce.

Photo By Ayanna George. “Fish Lungs” 

The featured piece "Fish Lungs" for example, is done in the medium of watercolor. My idea was to create a colorful fish, but the process of watercolor art can be ambiguous and difficult to control. The result of the painting was much different than what I expected, nevertheless, it was still a phenomenal turnout.

The inspiration behind this painting starts with textures and temperature.

As I walked through a Tallahassee park on a chilly afternoon, a girl wearing bright orange gloves and a multicolored fuzzy scarf caught my eye. Her liquid-blue jacket reminded me of the ocean, and I immediately got the idea for the painting.

My name is Ayanna George, and I am majoring in Advertising at the University of Florida. 

The Art Heart is intended to reveal the sources where I draw inspiration, such as the college atmosphere at UF, the natural environment, underground/local music, and pop culture, which influence the free-form art and music I create.

Exposure to art, in all forms, has molded me into the creative individual I am today. When I was a kid, I would always find myself doodling on the sides of my class notes just for pure enjoyment, or maybe as a way of escapism. 

However, as I grew older, I became increasingly fond of art and loved the way I could translate an idea in my head into fruition. I was fortunate to have a family that supported my curiosity, and they were so encouraging of my pursuit of art. The moment when I realized that art was not "just-for-fun" anymore, but rather a major part of my self-expression, I began experimenting heavily with all sorts of art mediums.

Photo By Ayanna George

I was always intrigued by small things in life, and today, these minute details have become a major source of my inspiration. I believe, at the heart of it all, art is woven by our collective experiences as human beings, and the inspiration that comes with them.